Valve-spring lifter



Oct. 19 1926.

L. M. WOOD VALVE SPRING LIFTER Filed Nov. 30, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 100/; /7. 14 000 ATT EYS Oct '19, 1926, 1,603,732

L. M. WOOD VALVE SPRING LIFTER Filed Nov. 50 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR W/f/Vfddfd w ywzw Ll-ct. i9, 192%.

units raves LO UIS M. WOOD, OF NEW YORK, N. 55., AUSSIE CORPORATION, 011" NEW YORK, "N.

SHOE TO SPEED-O MULTIPLE VALVE LIFTER Y., A C'GRPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VALVE-SE RING LIFTER.

Application filed November This invention relates to valve spring lifters for internal combustion engines, and particularly to a lifter adapted to operate against multiple valve springs for s1multaneously lifting the springs under compression, an object of the invention being to provide an improved valve spring lifter which will be relatively simple in construction, relatively cheap to manufacture, and which at the same time will be strong and eflicient in use, and simplified in operation so that a number of valve springs may be lifted with a minimum of effort and held in lifted position under compression while the valves are removed and ground.

A. further object of this invention is to provide a valve spring lifter adapted to be operated for lifting or compressing a plurality of valve springs and havingimproved means for maintaining the lifter in elevated position with the valves held under compression.

A further object of this invention is to provide a valve spring lifter having improved means for lifting the same for the purpose of compressing the valve sprmgs, and also having improved means for guiding the lifter during operation.

Uther objects this invention wlll appear in the following description and appended claims thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters indicate correspondlng parts in the several views and wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevation view illustrating an embodiment of my invention in elevated position against four valve springs; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View of the construction shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3 and illustrating the lifting mechanism in elevated position; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lifter in elevated position; Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the lifter; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cam lever for operating the lifting mechanism.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation there'- of, it is desired to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts 30, 1923. Serial No. 67?,863.

which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseol ogy which is employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the present instance I have illustrated in the drawings a form of my invention CO11- structed for the purpose of operating against four valve springs. The motor block of the engine is provided with the usual valve spring chamber 9, which is ordinarily closed at the front thereof by means of a cover plate or door plate not shown), the cover plate being held in position by means of a suitable stud or bolt and a nut 51. In the type of engine shown the cover plate is removed by unscrewing the nut 51 from the bolt 50. In other types or models of engines the bolt 50 is headed at its outer end and is unscrewed from the valve spring chamber for the purpose of removing the cover or door plate. The valve spring chamher 9 is formed by a housing or casing which comprises a rear wall 10 and forwardly extending end walls 11. The front of the valve spring housing is provided with a depending lip or flange 12 extending along the top edge of the housing and an upwardly projecting lip or flange 13 extending along the lower edge of the housing. It will be understood that the cover or door plate is bolted against the outer faces of the flanges 12 and 13 and against the front edges of the end walls 1.1,and as hereinafter described the lower flange or lip 13 of the engine is utilized as a means for fulcruming the liftmg lever.

The valves 1d of the engine are provided with the usual valve stems 15 which extend into the chamber 9, and the lower ends of the valve stems are provided with removable retaining pins 16 against which the valve spring retaining seats 17 rest when in normal position. The valve spring retainers 17 are constructed to receive the ends of the valve springs 18 which are held between. the upper wall of the chamber 9 and the reta ners 17. The bottom of the housing for the valve springs is provided with the usual guide members or bearings 19 through which the valve lifters 20 extend, the latter bein operated in the usual manner by means or cams on the camshaft of the engine. I

The present improved valve spring lifter is preferably in the form of an angle bar comprising a vertically extending member 21 and a horizontally extending member 22. It will be seen that the vertical member 21 of the lifting bar extends across or in front of the four valve springs, and the horizontal members 22 of the bar forms a means adapted to extend beneath the valve springs for operating thereagainst. The angle bar 21, 22 is provided centrally thereof with a pro jecting lug or enlarged portion 23 which extends below the horizontal member 22 and is preferably cast integrally wit-h the angle bar. The lug 23 as hereinafter shown, forms a combined guide member for assisting in guiding the lifter during operation, a hearing against which the lifting lever operates, and a means for supporting the locking support for the lifter when the valve springs are lifted and held under compression. The lug 23 projects in front of the vertical member 21 and is provided centrally thereof with a vertically extending guide slot 2% which communicates with a slot 25 formed in the veritcal bar 21 and also with a transverse slot 26 formed in the horizontal member Thus, slots 25 and 26 of the angle bar register with the vertical guide slot 24 of the member 23 and form a combined guide slot adapted to receive the housing stud or bolt 50 so that when the lever is operated,

the guide slots in cooperation with the housing stud or bolt will act to guid the lifter in a vertical plane against endwise movement.

As illustrated in the drawings it will be seen that the lug 23 extends a substantial distance below the horizontal bar 22. and pivoted to the lower part of the lug and in the vertical plane of the member 21, as at 27, i's a swing ng locking support or trip 28. This locking support or trip is preferably U-shaped, and the vertical side members 28 and 28 thereof have their upper ends embracing the opposite sides of lug 23. The lower part of trip 28 is provided with inwardly extending lugs or projections 29, and the s de member 28 of the trip or locking support extends or projects a substantial distance above the pivot 27 to form a stop 30 which is adapted to engage the under face of the bar 22 so as to limit the forward swinging movementof the trip. The side member 28 of the locking support is also provided with a forwardly extending projection or knob 31 which forms a trip adapted to be man pulated for he purpose of tripping the locking support and swinging the same away from the flange 13 so as to disengage the lugs 29.

At suitable intervals the member .22 is provided with recesses .32 adapted to freely embrace the valve stems 15 and permit the seating of the spring :retainers 17 upon the upper surfaces of the member 22. Extending from the vertical member 21 of the lifter and transversely thereof are a pair of guide members 33. These gu des are located at opposite sides of the central lug 23 and project a suitable distance beyond the edge of the horizontal member 22 so as to engage the vertical outer faces of the cylinders 10- of the engine.

The lug is provided at the bottom thereof with a curved cam surface it will be noted that the lug 23 projects forwardly of the vertical member 21 and also beneath the same so that a result the major portion of the cam surface is located in front of the parts 21 and 22 of the lifting member. A lever 34 is provided for the purpose of operating the lifter, this lever preferably comprises a suitable handle terminating at the forward end thereof in a single wedge-shaped prong 35. The upper surface 36 of the wedge-shaped prong is curved so as to form a working surface or cam surface, and the end of the prong is provided with a notch 37 which is adapted to fit over the upper edge of the flange or lip 13 of the valve spring housing.

In using the present improved lifter the angle bar is placed in position as shown in Fig. 3 wvith the stud bolt 50 extending through guide slots 24:, 25, and 26. The

nut 51 is screwed on to the outer end of the stud bolt and the working end of the lever 34 is passed through the U-shaped trip or locking support 28 with the transverse notch 37 of the lever extending over the flange 13 of the valve spring housing. Thereupon by raising the handle of the lever 34' the curved cam surface 36 will travel over the curved cam surface 34 of the lug 23 and raise the lifting member. The forward ends of guides 33 during this operation travel up the vertical faces of the cylinder housings, thereby guiding the lifting member against inward movement relativelv to the valve springs. When the lifting member has been elevated to the position shown in ,Fig. 4: and 5, the locking support or trip 28 will automatically swing by gravity into position to support the lifter with the valve springs held under compression. The side members 28 and 28 of the trip are long enough so that the lower connected ends thereof will strike the lip or flange 13 when the trip swings forwardly. and at the same time carrying the lugs 29 over the upper edge of the flange 11%. After the valves have beeen ground aiid replaced, the lifter may be lowered in po ition, and the lifting bar or lever 34 is in serted again through the central opening f-the trip 28. The handle of the lever raised so asto raise the lifting member, and get-the same time the finger is placed Lll1dOifneath the tripping knob or projection 31 and the knob ishlifted, thereby swinging the trip 28 away from the flange 13 and disllltl Jiu engaging the lugs 29 from the upper edge of the flange. The lifting member can then be lowered and removed from the stud bolt 50.

it will be noted that all of the valve springs are lifted by a single operation of the lever 3 substantially midway of the lifting bar, that the guides 33 positively guide the lifting member in a vertical plane, and that the guide slots 241-, 25, and 2G guide the lifting bar against endwise movement. Furthermore the location of the cam surface 34- in front of the lifting bar proper facilitates the operation of the lever 341-, and enables the springs to be lifted with less effort.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting'to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, I claim:

1. A valve spring lifter comprising a lifting member for simultaneously operating upon a plurality of valve springs, means for operating said member and swinging means pivoted below said lifting member for supporting the member when the springs are under compression and located midway of the length of and pivoted to said lifting member.

2. A valve spring lifter comprising a lifting member for simultaneously operating upon a plurality of valve springs, means for operating said member, swinging means for supporting the member when the springs are under compression and located midway of the length of and pivoted to said lifting member and comprising a U-shaped member having inwardly extending supporting projections.

3. A valve spring lifter comprising a lifting member for simultaneously operating upon a plurality of valve springs, means for operating said member, swinging means for supporting the member when the springs are under compression and located midway of the length of and pivoted to said lifting member and comprising a U-shaped member having inwardly extending sup porting projections, and means for guiding said lifting member during the operation thereof. j

f. A valve spring lifter comprising a lifting bar having means forsimultaneously operating against a plurality of valve springs, said bar having a downwardly 6X- tending projecting portion located midway of the length thereof, and a lever operative midway of the length of the bar against said projecting portion for elevating the bar, said projecting portion and lever hav ing one a cam formed operating face.

5. A valve spring lifter comprising a lifting bar having means for simultaneously operating against a plurality of valve springs, said bar having a downwardly extending projecting portion located midway of the length thereof, and a lever operative midway of the length of the bar against said projecting portion for elevating the bar, said projecting portion and lever having cooperating cam formed faces,

6. A valve spring lifter comprising a lifting bar constructed to simultaneously cooperate with a plurality of valve springs and having midway of the length thereof a downwardly extending projecting portion, means operative against said portion for elevating the bar, and a swinging support for the lifting member pivotally secured to the lifting bar midway of the length thereof.

7. A. valve spring lifter comprising a lif ing bar constructed to simultaneously cooperate with a plurality of valve springs and having midway of the length thereof a downwardly extending projecting portion, means operative against said portion for elevating the bar, and a swinging support for the lifting member pivotally secured to the lifting bar midway of the length thereof, and comprising a U-shaped member for the passage of the lifting means therethrough.

8. A valve spring lifter comprising a lift ing bar constructed to simultaneously operate against a plurality of valve springs and having substantially midway of the length thereof a downwardly extending projecting portion, a lever for elevating the bar, said projecting portion and lever having cooperating cam faces, and a swinging U-shaped support for thelifting member pivotally connected to each side of the downward projection for the passage of the lifting member therethrough. I

9. A valve spring lifter comprising a member adapted to operate against a plurality of valve springs and having a downwardly extending projecting portion, and a locking support pivotally connected to said projecting portion and shiftable into posi tion to support saidmember.

10. A valve spring lifter comprising a lifting bar constructed to simultaneously operate against a plurality of valve springs and raving substantially midway of the length thereof a downwardly extending projecting portion, a lever for elevating the bar, said proje cting'portion and lever having cooperating cam faces and a swinging til-shaped support for the lifting member pivotally connected to each side of the downward projection for the passage of the lifting member therethrough, said swinging member lit) having an inwardly extending locking projection and an outwardly extending tripping projection.

11. The combination of a valve spring lifter constructed to simultaneously cooperate with a plurality of valve springs, and an operating lever therefor comprising a handle terminating in a single wedgeshaped prong provided with an upper tapered working face operative against the lifter centrally of the length thereof and having the end thereof notched to engage a part of the valve spring chamber.

12. The combination of a valve spring lifter constructed to simultaneously cooperate with a plurality of valve springs, and an operating lever therefor comprising a handle terminating in a single wedge-shaped prong provided with an upper tapered working face operating against the lifter centrally of the length thereof and having the end thereof notched to engage a part of the valve spring chamber, said lifter having a U-shaped swinging support pivoted substantially centrally of the length of the lifter for the passage of said operating lever therethroi igh.

13. A valve spring lifter comprising a member having means for operating against a plurality of valve springs, means for lifting said member, and means for maintaining the same in elevated position, both said lifting means and said maintaining means constructed to engage the valve spring chamber beneath said lifting member and substantially midway of the length of said lifting member.

14, A valve spring lifter comprising a bar constructed to simultaneously operate against a plurality of valve springs, said bar having a slot located substantially midway of the length thereof for the reception of an engine stud or bolt and also having under said slot a cam faced projection adapted to be engaged by an operating member for elevating the bar.

15. A valve spring lifter comp-rising a lifting bar constructed to simultaneously engage a plurality of valve springs and having substantially midway of the length thereof a projection having a cam face at its under side for cooperation with a lifting member and a supporting member for said bar pivotally connected thereto.

16. A valve spring lifter constructed to simultaneously coopeate with a plurality of valve springs, a swinging gravity controlled support pivotally connected to said member, means for limiting the swinging movement thereof, means for tripping the valve springs, a swinging gravity controlled support pivotally connected to said member,

means for limiting the swinging movement thereof, means for tripping the same, and a pair of inwardly extending lugs carried thereby and adapted to engage a part of the valve spring chamber, said support comprising a U-shaped member located sub.- st-antially midway of the length of said lifting member.

19. A valve spring lifter comprising a lifting member having means for operating against a plurality of valve springs, said member having a projecting portion located substantially midway of the length thereof, and means engageable with the engine and said projecting portion and operative sub stantially midway of the length of said lifting member for lifting said member.

20. A valve spring lifter comprising a lifting member having means for operating against a plurality of valve springs. said member having a projecting portion located substantially midway of the length thereof. and means engageable with the engine and said projecting portion and operative snbstantially midway of the length of said lifting member for lifting said member, said portion having a slot for the reception of an engine stud or bolt.

21. A valve spring lifter comprising a lifting member having means for operating against a plurality of valve springs, said member having a projecting portion located substantially midway of the length thereof, and means engageable with the engine and said projecting portion and op erative substantially midway of the length of said lifting member for lifting said member, said portion having a slot for the reception of an engine stud or bolt, said projc-cting portion also having pivotally secured thereto means for supporting the lifting member when in its elevated position.

Signed at New York, N. Y., this 19th day of November, 1923.

LOUIS M. WOOD. 

